Education
Stakeholders Charge Varsities, Others On Institutional Memories
Dean, School of Transport and Logistics at the Lagos State University (LASU),Ojo, Prof. Samuel Odewumi, has urged tertiary institutions to retain their good institutional memories.
He said such would enhance progressive and cumulative development of higher institutions in the country.
Odewumi, a Professor of Transport and Environment, said this at a virtual book presentation to celebrate Prof. Peter Okebukola ‘s 70th birthday on Saturday in Lagos.
The title of the book is: “Prof. Peter Okebukola at 70: Media Dialogue on Pivotal Issues in Higher Education Development in Nigeria”.
The Tide gathered that Okebukola who clocked 70 on February.17 is a distinguished Professor of Science and Computer Education.
He was also a former Executive Secretary,National Universities Commission(NUC) and the Director of the World Bank-funded Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education at LASU.
The book contains 795 pages and were put together by some editors and contributors in higher education such as: Prof.Sola Akinrinade, Provost ,Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria and Prof. Samuel Odewumi,the Dean, School of Transport and Logistics, Lagos State University.
Other contributors include, Prof. Anthony Kola-Olusanya,Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Research, Innovation and Partnerships (ARIP), Osun State University; Sir John Daniel, the former Assistant Director-General of UNESCO and Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, the immediate past Vice Chancellor,LASU.
Odewunmi said that retaining institutional memory is very important rather than the usual disjointed and sporadic approach to the management of public sector agencies.
”The phenomenon of succeeding chief executives abandoning projects and initiatives of their predecessors is unfortunately and also it is an alarming feature of many higher educational institutions in the country.
”Addressing this issue through the lenses of the Okebukola initiatives at the NUC is, especially, critical given the dire straits in which we are as a country.
“ This is also with regards to resources that should not be frittered away through constant restarting of programmes at the inception of every new administration,” Odewumi said.
He added that Okebukola had at least 61 university system-wide initiatives and 33 NUC-internal initiatives during his five-year tenure as the Executive Secretary of the NUC between 2001 and 2006.
“These are major landmark initiatives not perfunctory; they are impactful actions in the day to day leadership of the institution.
“This is, no doubt, revolutionary by any standard. It is a reflection of the prodigious capacity to think and execute. Okebukola is simply phenomenal.
”Okebukola did not win his laurels in propagation of knowledge and pillar of e-learning for nothing, he really earned it,” Odewumi said.
Also, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, the Chief Executive, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB), said that tertiary education in Nigeria had over the years been a centre of cacophony with reference to policy formulation and implementation.
Oloyede said that such cacophonies border on the scope, landscape, mandates and regulatory agencies of tertiary education in Nigeria.
“They also include the unnecessary furore on the UTME cut-off marks and qualifications for admissions into tertiary institutions as well as the dynamics of rewards for achievements and others.
“It is emphasised that the whole tertiary education subsector requires a holistic overhaul in terms of nomenclature, organisation and functionality.
”I recommend a structural reorganisation of the current Ministry of Education as well as some agencies within its supervision as a way of revamping higher education in Nigeria,” he said.
The celebrator, Prof. Peter Okebukola, in his remarks said that all the essays in the book were put together for yesterday, today and the future of higher education in Nigeria.
Okebukola said that the book contained major key points needed to tackle challenges facing higher education.
He said, “There is a global burden of quality assurance in the different sectors not only in education and Nigeria education system does not present a worst cast scenario.
”I urge governments and stakeholders in the educational sector to reduce or wrestle down corruption in the system so that more money will be injected into the universities,” he said.
It was also gathered that a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, wrote the foreword to the book and Prof.Idowu Olayinka, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor,University of Ibadan, reviewed the book
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.